docs: def activate(self, branches, exclusive=False):
          """
          Activate branches
  
          Parameters
          ----------
          branches : str or list
              branch or list of branches to activate
  
          exclusive : bool, optional (default=False)
              if True deactivate the remaining branches
          """
          if exclusive:
              self.SetBranchStatus('*', 0)
          if isinstance(branches, string_types):
              branches = [branches]
          for branch in branches:
              if '*' in branch:
                  matched_branches = self.glob(branch)
                  for b in matched_branches:
                      self.SetBranchStatus(b, 1)
              elif self.has_branch(branch):
                  self.SetBranchStatus(branch, 1)